Israel has declared its desire for peace. Does Hamas want peace? Does Hamas even want to negotiate? Israel wants peace, not a double standard.

LISA AXONOVITZ

Hollow Creek Drive

World aids Gaza; Hamas harms it

The tunnels built by Hamas to kill, abduct, and terrorize Israeli citizens cost tens of millions of dollars, according to news reports.

Since the establishment of limited self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the mid-1990s, the United States government has committed approximately $5 billion in bilateral assistance to the Palestinians, who are among the world’s largest per capita recipients of international aid, according to the Cong-ressional Research Service.

What has Hamas given to Palestinians beyond hate, destruction, and despair?

ALAN M. SOKOBIN

Pine Ridge Road

Water problem’s timing suspect

It’s amazing that Toledo’s water problem came up right before City Council votes on a major sewer rate increase (“Needed rate hike,” editorial, Aug. 3). Toledo has no money to repair its streets and sewer and water system.

The Blade or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency needs to review all of Toledo’s water tests over the past few weeks, months, and years to determine why the algae problem came up when it did.

JOHN FLYNN

Overland Parkway

South Avenue ticketing an issue

Toledo police are protecting our streets, not by looking for criminal or suspicious activity, but by ticketing cars parked on or over the curb in the 1100 and 1200 blocks of South Avenue at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday morning.

Many people who live in these two blocks do not have driveways and have to park on the street. Many of the people who were ticketed have had vehicles sideswiped and totaled. We are trying to protect our vehicles and are ticketed for doing so.

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